What career path should I start down?

FYI, I’ve considered pharmacist assistant or dental hygienist. Unfortunately, neither program is offered at a college within 35 miles of my house. :(

…except for a very ritzy university that doesn’t accept people who’ve been out of school for a while in their graduate schools.

I’m curious, what’s your “useless bachelors degree”?

English

How long are you willing to go back to school for? Nurses are in very high demand as well as other kinds of medical professionals. Teachers are also in relatively high demand (at least they are where I am) and with an English major and a degree in teaching, you could turn that into a career.

Katawa, good advice in general. Two problems with your suggestions (as they relate to me):

1. I actually was an education major through most of high school until I realized my senior yr that I couldn’t stand teaching – too much discipline and legal worries, not enough learning.

2. Nursing….even if I could talk myself into the whole handling urine and feces thing, EVERYONE in this state is going back to nursing school. I know dozens of people in nursing school right now. There’s going to be such a glut of nurses in 2–4 yrs. Yabba!

Thanks though. :)

@bananafish: Those are two big problems. I’m going into film so I already know I’m going to be using my lovely degree to work in retail or fast food. :)

Your English degree isn’t useless. I was an English major and eventually I discovered corporate communications and was making $42k as a Communications Specialist for a health insurance and hospital organization when I quit in 2006 (in a market that never pays as well as the national average). There’s also grant writing, technical writing, proposal writing, environmental impact writing, education writing, etc. While you’d have an easier time landing a science or technical writing job with some science or technical knowledge in your background, it’s not a hard and fast rule. You can freelance from anywhere, of course, and if (as you seem to be saying) time is on your side, then you can slowly build up a business.

If you still think you need to go back to school, then ask around for a growth area that interests you. We can’t figure that out for you, and especially without specifics about what’s available in your area. I have a friend, though, who’s got an MFA in theater, and she now has a five year plan to become an occupational therapist, because there’s 20% growth and she’ll be making $60k to start.

edit:: I forgot to mention public relations and advertising copywriting.

My suggestion is something in the healthcare field. It is growing while other industries decline and, as Kevbo points out, there are several options there for your skills.

Position: Medical Copywriter
Location: San Francisco
Status: Fulltime
Estimated Duration: Fulltime
Starts: Immediately!
Rate: $60k DOE

Senior Medical Editor (Tarrytown)

Medical Writer – (White Plains, New York)

Healthcare Web Editor/Journalist (raleigh )

You’re in a state with a lot of unemployment, and you’re remote. Have you considered moving somewhere else?

Learn a trade. Training is usually short and many trades are in high demand even through the apocalypse a recession.

@cwilbur, boy have I thought about it! But my home has lost 55% of its value in the past two years. I currently owe $90,000 more than my home is worth!...so I think I’ll be here a while. Big part of the problem…I never expected to be in this home super longterm, and now I’m trapped.

@ubersiren, Sure! I’d love to learn a trade. Which one? This is where I need advice.

@bananafish : Not to try to persuade you or anything, but I took an 8 month course in massage therapy and it was the best thing I ever did. Since you have a bachelor degree, you can work in a medical office. Even if you didn’t want to work for a Dr. I’ve been told by my massage therapist instructors that their own businesses haven’t diminished because self care is becoming more important in these trying times.

Also, carpentry or appliance repair are always needed. Basically anything on the Sally Struthers commercials. And you can even start your own business with that type of knowledge, or conglomerate thereof.

Did I help? I get happy when I help!

Go with your gut, and do something that interests you.

Plumbers make a lot of money, and you can specialize in certain types so you don’t have to deal with human byproducts. Welders do, too.

Or you can attempt to do what my sister does as a member of POEM (Garrison Keillor’s Professional Organization of English Majors). She became a mechanic, a member of the drywall union, and learned to repair Xerox machines. Later on she was able to get a real job (teaching remedial English to to Junior College students online). But in the meantime, she paid the bills just fine.

Have you considered teaching? School budgets may be (sadly, tragically, depressingly) cut, but good teachers will always be needed.

Move to another state. In these times it’s more important than ever to be close to a major metropolitan center.